Greater Cleveland Conference 2024

Predict GCC Winner

  • Brunswick

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Cleveland Heights

    Votes: 16 47.1%
  • Euclid

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Mentor

    Votes: 16 47.1%
  • Medina

    Votes: 1 2.9%
  • Shaker Heights

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Strongsville

    Votes: 1 2.9%

  • Total voters
    34
  • Poll closed .
Cleveland Heights looked very dominating in their scrimmages against Brush, Twinsburgh and elyria Catholic. At Euclid. Should be a better scrimmage next Thursday Aug 15th at Canton McKinley
Today's the day. Interested to hear how both teams look. That's a solid scrimmage
 
Matt Goul’s Medina preview summed up is that they return one starter on offense, but eight on defense. There is a QB battle between last years backup and the transfer from John Marshall. Defense should be ahead of the offense to start, which is very unlike Medina in this Laird era. Sounds like there are some speedy athletes at the skill positions though.
 
How did Mentor look at the scrimmage today? @MentorGrad2002

And for anyone who was at Cleveland Heights/Canton McKinley, how did that one turn out?
Mentor thread has discussion on it in detail. But to summarize

Had a few bad drops on consecutive drives to start. Killed the drives. Was informed it was two new wrs as one of our guys was out hurt

After that had 2 methodical drives in a row for TDs with run and pass

I'd say D was good as a whole

But it's practice, Mentor always plays vanilla , and our best guys arent featured. So I don't put much stock in them.

Heck Fox had a black jersey on so he couldn't be tackled. His running would open it up even more
 
Nice

Mentor "won" our half scrimmage over Chardon 14-

Nice

Mentor "won" our half scrimmage over Chardon 14-3
Nice

Mentor "won" our half scrimmage over Chardon 14-3
Heights came out early with the running game,and defense Marquise Davis scored two touchdowns including a 18 yd spurt up the middle literally running over a McKinley defender on the goal line Heights built a 13-0 lead after the first quarter. Heights started to play their substitutes. McKinley substituted no one. they were treating the scrimmage like a regular season game purpose on beating heights no matter what. McKinley through three touchdown passes and scored 27 unanswered points. Their quarterback has a phenomenal arm and accuracy.Heights pass rush would of sacked the quarterback numerous times if they would let one touchdown was clearly lit when the quarterback was actually touched but no excuses he secondary needs to work, but I was impressed with Elijah Harris the ninth grade freshman running back. He did his part. He’s a stocky little kid very strong not a whole Lotta speed, but basically runs up the middle with power. Final 27-13 Canton McKinley
 
Sounds like Heights did well with both teams playing starters and McKinley got up vs half backups from what you said

Different coaches handle these scrimmages different ways. Not real games and many situations with non game like conditions.

Real games will tell the tale
 
Sounds like Heights did well with both teams playing starters and McKinley got up vs half backups from what you said

Different coaches handle these scrimmages different ways. Not real games and many situations with non game like conditions.

Real games will tell the tale
What was the score with ones in anyone know ?

Saw a video of Davis running someone down in the end zone. Was just curious how it went.
 
Week 1:

Mentor vs Jackson
Brunswick @ Berea-Midpark
Medina vs Stow
Euclid @ Fitch
Cleveland Heights vs Trotwood Madison
Shaker vs South
Strongsville vs Avon Lake

Predictions? I think the league will win four or five games. I don't see Euclid or Strongsville winning. Brunswick is probably an underdog too, but less so than the other two. I expect Mentor, Heights, and Medina to cruise. Shaker should be a favorite over South.
 
Week 1:

Mentor vs Jackson
Brunswick @ Berea-Midpark
Medina vs Stow
Euclid @ Fitch
Cleveland Heights vs Trotwood Madison
Shaker vs South
Strongsville vs Avon Lake

Predictions? I think the league will win four or five games. I don't see Euclid or Strongsville winning. Brunswick is probably an underdog too, but less so than the other two. I expect Mentor, Heights, and Medina to cruise. Shaker should be a favorite over South.
I actually think Strongsville will be better than teams are giving them credit for. Storm Miller is the real deal , and with an all Senior line , Trusnik brought in Eric Kush another former NFL player to coach them. They are my “surprise you” team in the GCC this year. I don’t think they beat Avon lake , but I think it will be a better game than people think.

I think 4 is right -
Mentor wins by 10 or 14 over a good Jackson team.
Medina beats Stow well
I don’t know much about Trotwood other than they were 8-2 last year and moved Up to DII but Heights should be ok
Shaker will handle South easily.
 
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I actually think Strongsville will be better than teams are giving them credit for. Storm Miller is the real deal , and with an all Senior line , Trusnik brought in Eric Kush another former NFL player to coach them. They are my “surprise you” team in the GCC this year. I don’t think they beat Avon lake , but I think it will be a better game than people think.

I think 4 is right -
Mentor wins by 10 or 14 over a good Jackson team.
Medina beats Stow well
I don’t know much about Trotwood other than they were 8-2 last year and moved Up to DII but Heights should be ok
Shaker will handle South easily.
Remember too that these teams opened against each other last year at Avon Lake in a game where both defenses were way ahead of the offenses, and Strongsville led 14-13 late in the fourth. Avon Lake maybe had a 100 total yards in offense to that point but then put together a late drive, including a big pass play for 40-50 yards to set up the winning TD.

Both teams return a lot so I also think it will be a close game.

I mentioned last week I would give a more detailed take on Strongsville at some point, so here it is.

I went back and watched some of their games on YouTube to see where things went wrong, since I touted them to be a sleeper team before last year began. There were some clear things I picked up on.

1. They ran basically a middle school offense. They lined up in the same set 99 percent of the time (QB shotgun, 1 RB and 4 WRs; 2 on each side with occasionally lining the TE on the line but usually in the slot or a WR in the slot). Then, they ran either 2 plays out of that. 1 a RB dive or some intermediate passing play.

Granted, part of that may have been simplifying things because Nolan Beard got hurt early in the Berea game and they had to turn to a sophomore, but the offense was the same under Beard outside that Beard was a threat to tuck and run (not by design). They never attempted to get their RB on the edge; never pulled linemen, it was straight up sending him into the middle and hoping he could get 3 yards. Passing wise, they attempted 1 RB screen that I remember and it went for like 30 or 40 yards. The few times they went down field, they had some success (but only attempted maybe 15 to 20 passes over 15 yards all season). They ran 2 WR screens, both to their most explosive WR (who I believe was a sophomore and had good rapport with the sophomore QB). Both times (against Benedictine and Cleveland Heights) he housed them for 60 plus yards (their only two explosive offensive plays all season).

With Nolan Beard back after missing most of his junior season, the entire starting OL returning and being seniors and something like 7 of the 9 WRs/TEs they rotated all being listed as juniors or below, it won't take much innovation to vastly improve the offense. The only position that is new is RB where last year's starter got all but maybe 5 carries on the season. The one who got the other 5 was a sophomore and looks small but fast (his brother is a starting DB who has some D2 offers). They also should have another sophomore who played Varsity last year at Lutheran West and had probably 600 plus total yards. He ran on Strongsville's track team last spring so he must have came back after football (he finished something like 3rd in the 100 meters in 8th grade at state).

2. The defense was really good last year until the lack of offense finally broke their spirit. They mostly shut down Avon Lake, they shut down Solon, Berea-Midpark scored 41 but 1 was on a long punt return by Austin Clay; another was off a long punt return Clay took to the 2; another was on a pick 6 by Clay; and another was a scoop and score on like the sophomore QB's 3rd or 4th snap after Beard got hurt where he simply dropped the ball while scrambling and B-M returned it.

They bounced back and shut down Benedictine and Euclid (but offense struggled in those games ... as they did against AL, Solon and B-M).

Then the Heights game came around and you can tell that was the game that broke them. They had zero clue how to defend the wishbone (stayed in the 3-3-5) and got obliterated off the ball leaving wide open running lanes for the CH playmakers. The offense again did nothing and the season was lost from there.

Plus, while the defense was very good the first half of the year, I thought they mis-used Storm Miller. Lined him up at OLB (behind DE Jerome Williams) and seemingly dropped Miller into coverage 90 percent of pass plays. On run downs teams simply ran opposite the side Williams and Miller were lined. Seemed to me they wasted a year of Miller. Williams will be a giant loss though because he was a monster last year.

Overall, though, I think 3 of the five DL they rotated are back. Miller is back at LB and 4 DBs (all 3 year starters) are back in the secondary. Trusnik being a defensive guy (and a LB/end) he should know how to maximize Miller's potential (P5 prospect with dozens of offers).

3. There is a correlation between D3 players who had to grind their way to college, then turn to coaching having success (at all levels of football). I don't know if Trusnik will be a good coach but the guy overachieved in HS to get to a D3 college and then overachieved to make an NFL roster as an undrafted FA: then overachieved to play 10 years in the NFL. It's hard to bet against that, especially with him coming into a situation where the team is returning 15 starters and most of those being 3 year starters.

I was off last year on Strongsville but I don't think going 3-8 was a talent issue after re-watching. And I'm not saying they have the talent to beat the top tier teams in the GCC, but enough where they should be able to compete with them for four quarters.
 
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I'm going to go on a limb and say 6-1.

Mentor-Jackson: Mentor is my pick to win the league and is no. 2 on my R1 rankings so have to take them.

Heights-Trotwood Madison: only know that Trotwood has kind of been the Dayton version of Glenville so should be alot of big plays. But going with Heights.

Medina-Stow: saw highlights from Medina's scrimmage against Elyria and I don't know which QB it was, but whoever started looked good (wearing no. 7 and roster doesn't have either the 2 QBs in the running as 7). He threw 3 Tds (though a bad interception). The new Oline seemed to give the QB (think it was the Marshall transfer) a ton of time. The first string defense defensive line looked like they had their way with Elyria's OLs. Saw enough to confirm that Mrdina (if it gets good QB play) may not be as good as the last four years, but will be a tough out. They should beat Stow once again (not sure why this series has continued)

Shaker-South: no clue on South but Shaker won last year so will go with everybody else and take Shaker.

Euclid is an L. If they can keep it closer than last year, I'm guessing it's progress.

I'll go against the grain and take the GCC schools in the matchups with the SWC.

I explained why I like Strongsville above (though Avon Lake appears to be a top tier D2). It's at home and have blind faith in that Trusnik is the guy who will get Strongsville back (they'll probably lose 42-0 now that I've touted them but I'm sticking with the upset).

Brunswick and Berea-Midpark is a tough one. If Brunswick didn't lose their QB to Hoban, I think even with their new coach being a question, they would be favored (they still return about 15 starters even though the QB left). Berea-Midpark has been solid the last couple years, so a program that should plug holes. But they have 3 that will be tough to fill. Austin Clay was electric with the ball in his hand (and was a sub 10.8 100 runner who placed at state IIR); then the two DL who both were D1 signees were physical and nasty. Again, I can see why most will take B-M, but I'll take the upset.
 
I for one do not expect Brunswick to beat BM. Brand new coach and lost their best player and QB this off-season to Hoban; unfortunate but that’s how modern high school football goes these days. New coach is a total question mark but he at least had shown success at a lower level as an extremely young head coach (believe he was 24 when he took his first head coaching gig). While I feel this is the type of hire Brunswick has needed for the better part of the last decade, I do not expect any immediate success. I believe the Blue Devils will most likely have a 1 or 2 win season with hopes their new coach can bring the program back to relevance in a couple years time.
 
Interested in hearing thoughts after week 1.

I flipped back and forth on YouTube and watched a bit of Strongsville-Avon Lake, Mentor-Jackson and Cleveland Heights-Trotwood.

Of those, I didn't catch any of the first half from Mentor and only small parts of the second half, but enough to see them score 2 TDs (and driving for another once they were up 27-13 but checked out of that one before that drive ended). But the little I saw looked about what I expected out of IMO the top team in the league.

CH-Trotwood for being 6-0 was pretty entertaining because it looked more like 2 very good and fast defenses rather than sputtering offenses ... but that is a problem for me when it comes to Heights. There is no reason for them not to be exploding for 8-10 explosive plays a game on offense with that line and skill talent.

Once again, a good defense really slowed them down. Yeah, they've put up points in between but going back to the Brunswick game last year, they have scored 20 or less in 4 of the 11 total games.

The talent is there to win the league title (again) and win the R1 title, but I'll say again I don't think the wishbone is doing the CH offense any favors outside of running it up on teams who can't scheme it ... or simply don't have the talent to stop it.

As for Strongsville, I wasn't watching when they scored either of their TDs and happened to see all 3 of Avon Lake's so maybe it wasn't as bad as it appeared, but I didn't see anything from the offense in the 6-7 drives I watched that made me think they had improved from last year (last year's offense was probably the worst in R1).

The one positive on offense was they showed more variation than a year ago so maybe just need some time to start clicking since it's a new system (pre-snap formations we're the same they but did more out of it).

But based off one game, appears it will be much like a year ago where the defense tries to hang in there for as long as they can but succumbs because of an offense stuck in quicksand.

I didn't see anything from the other teams, but no big surprises from scoreboard watching on those games. I was off on the Brunswick upset of Berea-Midpark but looks like they played them close.
 
Week 2 predictions?

Mentor @ St Ignatius - Pretty much a toss-up in my opinion
Cleveland Heights @ Detroit King - No clue, but I would feel good about Heights
Brunswick vs Olmsted Falls - These two programs are wide apart, Olmsted Falls should cruise
Medina @ Olentangy - I give the edge to the Bees
Strongsville @ Solon - Two programs that continue to fall, no clue who wins this toss-up
Shaker @ Brush - Easy win for Shaker
Euclid vs Perry - The Panthers will get pummeled by the defending DIV champs

I could see as many as 5 wins (Mentor/Strongsville are the 50/50 games) or as few as 2 or 3 if things really go poorly.
 
Shaker and Mentor hung on for one score victories last night. The rest of the GCC lost. A 2-5 record, pretty much worse case scenario. The league is probably at an all-time low since its formation in 2015.
 
Shaker and Mentor hung on for one score victories last night. The rest of the GCC lost. A 2-5 record, pretty much worse case scenario. The league is probably at an all-time low since its formation in 2015.
I was shocked that the Shaker Heights game was as close as it was. The Red Raiders have to tighten things up against Solon next week.
 
Than who? They barely beat Strongsville, the second worst team in the league. Solon is having the same kind of issues that Euclid, Strongsville, and Brunswick are having - programs on the major decline.
Solon lost on a blocked FG to a 2-0 Olmsted Falls who just blew out Brunswick. Would not be surprised if they beat Shaker.
 
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